Feed mixer

Abstract

A feed mixer is provided and includes a mixing chamber with forward and rearward end walls, a bottom wall, and opposite side walls. First and second mixing reels are rotatably mounted in end-to-end relationship within the chamber, with each reel including an axle and a plurality of elongated mixing bars operatively connected to the axle. The reels are rotated in opposite directions, whereby each reel offsets the side loading of the feed by the other reel and thereby maintain the center of gravity of the feed along the longitudinal center line of the chamber. First and second oppositely inclined augers extend along the respective side walls of the chamber and are rotated in opposite directions. The first auger moves feed away from the first reel and discharges feed into the second reel, while the second auger moves feed away from the second reel and discharges feed into the first reel. The augers float so as to prevent binding and have recessed knives for cutting the grain. Thus, the feed is thoroughly mixed by the dual reels and dual augers.

What is claimed is 
     
       1. A feed mixing device, comprising: a mixing chamber having forward and rearward end walls, a bottom wall and opposite side walls;   at least one rotatable mixing reel, including an axle and a plurality of elongated mixing bars operatively connected to the axle;   rotation means for rotating said reel for mixing feed within the chamber; and   first and second augers having shafts inclined in opposite directions on opposite sides of the reel and extending along respective side walls of the chamber and having opposite inlet and outlet ends, and the augers having flighting conveying feed in opposite directions within the chamber.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein the chamber further includes first and second inclined auger troughs extending longitudinally adjacent the first and second augers, respectively. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2 wherein the inlet ends of the augers are at an elevation below the mixing reel axle and the outlet ends of the augers are at an elevation above the mixing reel axle. 
     
     
       4. The device for claim 1 wherein the augers are inclined approximately 10 ° with respect to the axle of the mixing reel. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 1 including first and second rotatable mixing reels positioned in an end-to-end relationship within the chamber, said rotation means rotating the first and second reels in opposite directions such that each reel moves feed toward opposite side walls of the chamber and thereby substantially maintaining the center of gravity of the feed being mixed midway between the side walls of the chamber, said first auger moving feed away from said first reel and discharging feed into said second reel, and said second auger moving feed away from said second reel and discharging feed into said first reel. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 1 wherein the mixing reel includes a plurality of support arms extending radially outwardly from said axle and means for pivotally securing said mixing bars to said arms. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 6 further including spring bias means for normally urging the bars toward the bottom wall of the chamber and permitting the bars to deflect away from the bottom wall of the chamber to prevent binding of feed between the bars and the bottom wall of the chamber. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 7 wherein the mixing bars extend substantially 90° from said arms. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 6 wherein the mixing bars are secured to said arms and extend angularly therefrom so as to pull through the feed during rotation of the reels. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 1 wherein the mixing bars are substantially round in cross section. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim 1 wherein the augers include flighting with a peripheral edge and notches formed in the flighting adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, and knives secured to the flighting adjacent the notches for cutting the feed. 
     
     
       12. The device of claim 11, wherein the knives have a cutting edge located within the notches in the flighting. 
     
     
       13. The device of claim 1 further comprising mounting means for allowing floating of the augers. 
     
     
       14. The device of claim 13 wherein each auger includes a shaft with flighting, the mounting means includes an alignment bearing having a slot for slidably receiving the auger shaft adjacent the inlet end of the auger and a U-joint connector for mounting the auger shaft adjacent the outlet end of the auger, the shaft being free to slide within the slot of the bearing and thereby allow the auger to float over hard or large lumps of feed. 
     
     
       15. A floating auger for conveying material comprising: an elongated auger shaft having opposite first and second ends and a longitudinal axis;   auger flighting on the shaft;   first and second bearing means for rotatably supporting opposite ends of the shaft, at least one of the bearing means allowing linear displacement of the shaft in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft while the shaft is operatively rotating.   
     
     
       16. The auger of claim 15 wherein the first bearing means includes an elongated slot for receiving one end of the shaft, the shaft being movable within the slot in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. 
     
     
       17. The auger of claim 16 wherein the second bearing means includes a universal joint for pivotally supporting the second end of the shaft. 
     
     
       18. An auger for conveying and cutting material, comprising: a shaft having flighting with a peripheral edge, the flighting having a plurality of notches formed therein adjacent the peripheral edge, and   knives secured to the flighting within each notch.   
     
     
       19. The auger of claim 18 wherein each knife has a cutting edge located within the notch in the flighting. 
     
     
       20. The auger of claim 19 wherein the cutting edge of the knife extends inwardly from the peripheral edge of the flighting. 
     
     
       21. The auger of claim 18 wherein the knives are releasably mounted to the flighting. 
     
     
       22. A feed mixing device, comprising: a mixing chamber having forward and rearward end walls, a bottom wall and opposite side walls;   first and second rotatable mixing reels, each including an axle and a plurality of elongated round mixing bars operatively connected to the axle;   said reels being positioned within said chamber in an end-to-end relationship;   means for rotating said first and second reels in opposite directions such that each reel moves the feed towards opposite side walls of the mixing chamber and thereby substantially maintaining the center of gravity of the feed being mixed midway between the side walls of said chamber; and   a discharge port in said mixing chamber for discharging mixed feed from said chamber.   
     
     
       23. The device of claim 22 wherein the mixing reel includes a plurality of support arms extending radially outwardly from said axle and means for pivotally securing said mixing bars to said arms, the mixing bar being secured to said arms and extend angularly therefrom so as to pull through the feed during rotation of the reels. 
     
     
       24. A feed mixing device, comprising: a mixing chamber having forward and rearward end walls, a bottom wall and opposite side walls;   first and second rotatable mixing reels, each including an axle and a plurality of elongated mixing paddles operatively connected to the axle;   said reels being positioned within said chamber in an end-to-end relationship;   first and second augers having opposite inlet and outlet ends and extending along respective side walls of said   chamber, and means for rotating the augers in opposite directions, said first auger moving feed away from said first reel and discharging feed into said second reel, and said second auger moving feed away from said second reel and discharging feed into said first reel;   said augers having flighting with a peripheral edge and notches formed in the flighting adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, and knives secured to the flighting within the notches for cutting the feed;   means for rotating said first and second reels in opposite directions such that each reel moves the feed towards opposite side walls of the mixing chamber and thereby substantially maintaining the center of gravity of the feed being mixed midway between the side walls of said chamber; and   a discharge port in said mixing chamber for discharging mixed feed from said chamber.   
     
     
       25. A feed mixing device, comprising: a mixing chamber having forward and rearward end walls, a bottom wall and opposite side walls;   first and second rotatable mixing reels, each including an axle and a plurality of elongated mixing paddles operatively connected to the axle;   said reels being positioned within said chamber in an end-to-end relationship;   first and second augers having opposite inlet and outlet ends and extending along respective side walls of said chamber, and means for rotating the augers in opposite directions, said first auger moving feed away from said first reel and discharging feed into said second reel, and said second auger moving feed away from said second reel and discharging feed into said first reel;   mounting means for allowing floating of the augers while the augers are operatively rotating;   means for rotating said first and second reels in opposite directions such that each reel moves the feed towards opposite side walls of the mixing chamber and thereby substantially maintaining the center of gravity of the feed being mixed midway between the side walls of said chamber; and   a discharge port in said mixing chamber for discharging mixed feed from said chamber.